Rachel Reviews: In the Company of Knaves by Anthony Wildman
Enter Shakespeare's world as related by Wildman and solve a mystery, following the bard and engaging with characters both noble and lowly
It is not often that I start a book I am reviewing and am immediately engaged but In the Company of Knaves managed to capture my attention from the outset. It helped that I love Shakespeare and historical fiction, of course, but these things offer no surety that I will enjoy the book in front of me.
And I did. Very much.
Our main protagonist is William Shakespeare at the beginning of his career and we follow him as he tries to extricate himself from a very difficult position. The company of which he is an actor has been banned from performing and in addition, the complete copies of the plays that the company performs have disappeared - stolen.
The action of the book then takes us through the solving of the whereabouts of the plays and the overturning of the ban. We are led into the lowest parts of London, where thieves and opportunists thrive and we inhabit the taverns where the aspiring writers and actors retreat to, to discuss and analyse and relax after performances. But Wildman also takes us to noble houses and the "rock stars" of the day like Walter Raleigh, all courting the favour of Queen Elizabeth and hoping that their star will be in the ascendant, if only they can keep themselves in the Queen's orbit, if that's not mixing metaphors. Not an easy feat as Wildman illustrates that even playwrights can be pawns in the power games of those above them.
The strength of this book lies in Wildman's writing. He is able to evoke place easily. He has taken key characters of the day, like Christopher Marlowe, and brought them alive in his text through the dialogue and the believable scenarios in which he depicts them. It's not done with the "thees" and "thous" of Shakespeare's plays but there is an inflection offered through the word choices and the stresses which suggests an older time.
I loved it. One of the best historical books that I've read in a long time, just for its pure enjoyability, and I will be reading the first two this year for sure. If you like your fiction based on history with the stress on "story" then these are the books for you.
Bravo, Anthony Wildman! Bravo!
Rachel Rating: 5/5 stars! Fanfare! Confetti! Fireworks!
This review was first published on Reedsy Discovery where I was privileged to read it as an ARC. It was also chosen as one of the headline reviews on Reedsy Discovery's Featured page:
About the Creator
Keep reading
More stories from Rachel Deeming and writers in BookClub and other communities.
Rachel Reviews: Unlikely Stories by T.R. McCay
I wondered what I was going to get when I started reading T.R. McCay's Unlikely Stories. I was pleasantly surprised. What you have here is a storyteller who is comfortable with tackling different genres; who knows just what is needed word-wise for description to capture a reader's attention but doesn't overdo it; who creates realistic characters with convincing dialogue - all the solid attributes expected in a well-written fiction piece - but who is also confident enough to take you into slightly surreal and disturbing situations and landscapes, treading the tightrope where balance is needed between conveying believability whilst also providing you, the reader, with something unique and memorable.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in BookClub
My New Book is Finally Here
My poetry collection Beautiful and Brutal Things is done. It's actually done and finally published over 270 pages. Over a year of my life went into this book. More than a year, really. Long days at my computer, sometimes seven days a week because I couldn't stop even when I probably should have. Then two months of editing that felt harder than the writing itself. But it's finished, and I'm still standing, and the book is real.
By Tim Carmichael3 days ago in BookClub
Whiskers, Wanderlust & the World’s Street Cats
Welcome back to The Chapter Café, where stories are always on the menu and comfort is served by the chapter. I’m your host, Kristen, and today we’re curling up with a book that’s part travelogue, part love letter, and entirely purr-worthy. On today’s menu? Street Cats & Where to Find Them by Jeff Bogle—a photographic journey through the world’s most feline-friendly cities, told with warmth, wit, and a deep appreciation for the cats who roam them.
By Kristen Barenthaler5 days ago in BookClub
Comments (1)
Whoaaaa, 5 stars!! Wow! But I don't think it's my kinda story. Idk, it kinda depends. I do like historical fiction but not all of them. I hope that makes sense, lol